The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-04-08
stories Of the Supernatural.

Thomas Graham, OF Augusta, H.,
dreamed one night recently that he was
landing at the grave of his father who
lived 10 a distant city, and whom he had
MT seen for years. Ga the following
night the dream was repeated With start.
ling vivduess. Early the next morning
Graham went to the telegraph Office Il"
'end a dispatch home, but before he had
filed out the blank the operator handed
him message announcing that his father
had died suddenly the night before.
| Farmer Knowles, of Jcssamine county,
| Ky, told bis wife at the breakfast table
one morning last week that he was going
into town that day to make his will, as he
did not think he had much longer to live,
he $ apparently In the best of health,
and his wife tried to reason away his fears
b at b, persisted in his determination, and
about noon rode away towards Lexington
on horseback. His wife watched him from
the gate, and as he was disappearing
around the bend in the road she saw him
suddenly throw up his hands anu fall to
the ground He had been stricken with
apoplexy, and died before night
Lucy Howard and Sarah Haywood, two
colored women, were quarrelling In the
streets at Yamgraw, Ga, when a woman
named Marshall, also colorcd, interfered
and separated them. AS the Marshall wo.
man was walking away, Sarah Haywood
touched her on the shoulder with goose.
feather and she fell to the ground with a
swoon, She was at once taken home and
cared for, but remained in comatosc con
dtion and died without uttering word
Sarah Haywood has local reputation as a
voudoo queen and the negroes think she
is responsible for the Marshall woman's
death. The Coroner's verdict, however,
was to the effect that she died OF paralysis,
gres many sudden and mysterious
deaths have recently occurred among the
negroes OF Marion county, in Southern
Mississippi, and many of the blacks in
that part Of the State believe they are the
victims of the vengeance of an old voudoo
doctor who died near Columbia q month
ago, and who had frequently complaine d
that they neglected him for the white
mems physicians. They say that he has
returned to earth in the form of the dread
ed hight DOCTOR" to see whom is fatal.
Many OF the more superstitious blacks de-
clare that they have heard the spirit of the
spirit of the old voudoo man rushing
through the streets at night, accompanied
he n,;, ,,,,l IL.
attends the night doctor on his terrible
mission.
An old lady of Pana, III received tel.
egram last week announcing that her
nephew, who lived in a neighboring town,
was dying of typhoid fever. She felt too
feeble to go to his bedside, but at night
she prayed earnestly for his recovery and
implored heaven to send her sign If the
crisis In his illness should be safely passed.
She then retired to bed, but while still living
awake the dark room seemed to her to be-
come light, and soon bright CLEAN hurst
forth from behind her head as if from the
ceiling, and the form of the young man
was outlined In dark shadow thrown on
the wall before her. The appsrition lasted
Tor several moments and then faded grad
ually away, the room again becoming dark.
In the morning the old lady learned that
her nephew was nut OF danger and had
every prospect of speedily becoming well.
One evening, several years ago, widow
living with her two young children on
lonely road in Barlow county, Ga. was
startled by the loud shrieks of a woman in
distress, accompanied by piteous appeals
for mercy. Terrified by the sound she
threw open the door and called out into
the darkness, but was afraid TO leave the
house to summon assistance. The shrieks
continued for several moments, interrupted
| by the curses of a maa, and thcr all was
I still. In the morning the widow aroused
the height orhood and searching party
found new-made grave in clump of
trees near the roadside. Around it, in the
soft earth, were footprints and evidences
OF terrible death struggle. A spade was
brought, but at the first thrust low moan
came from the mound, and the party fed
In terror. Again, on the following day, IN
attempt was made to open the grave, but
once more the groan was heard, and was
repeated with increased vehemcnce at each
successive thrust Of the spsde. Then the
investigation was abandoned, and to this
day the mystery of the grave has remained
unexplained. Every night unearthly
shrieks may be heard issuing from the
! grave, and dim, phosphorescent light is
seen to dance at times above the grave.
Children shun the place by day, and bold
men make WIDE circuit of the spot when